What if Nintendo ends up like Sega, would it be so bad?

Mario, Metroid and Zelda on the 360 and PS3?

The massive 3DS price cut two months after release revealed something about Nintendo: their magic wand is running low on power. Nintendo thought the system would sell itself, even without an impressive lineup of launch titles, but the market proved them horribly wrong: by now gamers want more than just another expensive gimmick: casual gamers are still happy with standard DS and core gamers want core titles... the games! The result? A large number of 3DS units remained unsold on the store shelves, which in turn led to software houses smelling failure and threatening to drop support for the system, forcing Nintendo to adopt drastic measures to save their day.

This happened before when Sega's hardware division went six feet under after the cold reception the Dreamcast got (again, due to lack of third party support). What happened to Sega, did it just die? No: they are now making quality software for other systems, like the Wii, DS, PS3, PSP and XBOX 360 (well, mostly quality software).

Now, I'm not saying Nintendo is in the same situation, but think about it: the value of Nintendo's shares has plummeted and shareholders are furious for their massive losses (Hiroshi yamauchi alone lost $300 million in one day!) should the Wii U receive the same cold treatment on the market as the 3DS it would most likely mean the end of Nintendo's hardware division like what happened with Sega.

Would this be the end of Nintendo? No! Like Sega they would still go on making quality games on other systems. The difference for us? None, except hardcore gamers would have to buy one less system and we'd be able to play Mario, Zelda, Metroid, Kirby and Donkey Kong on the same system as Halo, Gears of War, Uncharted, God of War and Killzone.

I'm not wishing disaster over Nintendo and I'm sure they'll stand back up after this 3DS mishap, but even if the worst should happen it wouldn't be all bad, all considered.

Your opinion on this?

hmm, i think the internet and world would go crazy if that was to happen, nintendo needs the 3ds and wii-u to be an success because videogames are all they do, so even though i think nintendo needs to actually come up with some new games and stop re-hashing and giving sequels to all their first parties, i wanna see them do better

Nintendo requires hardware control in order to force innovation via control mechanisms. It's their major competitive advantage, and if they lose it they won't be worth anything.

If they can survive the N64 and Virtual Boy, (I had one of those!) they can survive this current snag with the 3DSPiroshki

Their quality would probably go down alot.

Personnally, I would love to see Nintendo being mainly software, where Smash Brothers online would maybe be better on other consoles. Also they can primarily focus on their other Ips and they don't have to do what they're doing to Star fox.

I love nintendo I don't want them to go away because they have some dang good franchises besides just mario, however hardware wise I think Nintendo needs to stop trying.

I don't think Nintendo folding would immediately grant the current generations consoles those games. Maybe next generation or after that.CRS98

Although I'm sure that it won't happen because they've gotten so much profit from the Wii and previous successes that they can afford to lose a bit here and there I wouldn't mind at all because we love Nintendo for the games. Their so-called innovative controls are just over-hyped and bad.

Look at the previous Nintendo systems that aren't DS and Wii, look how awesome and fun they were, and they had simple, done to death controls. We all loved our old school Nintendo games and system. The controls worked, and they don't need to be changed. Bringing Nintendo's games over to the other systems with better graphics, better online and overall more potential and capability would be amazing.

Even after the steep drop in stock, Nintendo still has a lot of money and they are pushing the 3DS more strongly than ever before. I expect the 3DS to be a big seller this holiday season. Sega failed with the Dreamcast because of constant hardware releases and the hype of the PS2. Nintendo survived the N64, Gamecube, and Virtual Boy, they aren't down yet.

Ha! Not likely. Nintendo is so established and wealthy that they would have to release at least two consoles that failed horribly to even be in trouble. The 3DS is not a sign of things to come and Nintendo has nothing to worry about.

According to an old Steven Kent article I read, Sega's home division lost money most of its existence (makes sense given that their only popular console was the Genesis). Nintendo has hit a rough patch and I am as skeptical as anyone about their future prospects, but they're in the opposite position as Sega. Nintendo has made money almost every year and are they're sitting on a big pile of cash.

According to an old Steven Kent article I read, Sega's home division lost money most of its existence (makes sense given that their only popular console was the Genesis). Nintendo has hit a rough patch and I am as skeptical as anyone about their future prospects, but they're in the opposite position as Sega. Nintendo has made money almost every year and are they're sitting on a big pile of cash.

CarnageHeart

Nintendo would have to screw up really bad many times over before that were to happen. In any case, Nintendo would kill themselves first before becoming a software company. Those precious IPs (Zelda, Mario, Metroid) are only meant to be experienced on Nintendo's platforms. Every control, button, press, swipe, etc. are designed with Nintendo's hardware in mind.

Nintendo would have to screw up really bad many times over before that were to happen. In any case, Nintendo would kill themselves first before becoming a software company. Those precious IPs (Zelda, Mario, Metroid) are only meant to be experienced on Nintendo's platforms. Every control, button, press, swipe, etc. are designed with Nintendo's hardware in mind.

smbius

I'd much prefer for one of the other systems to dissolve.

To me, the Wii U looks like a gigantic disaster just waiting to happen. I can see no purpose whatsoever for a second screen on the controller, but it will drive the cost up substantially. And Nintendo has made absolutely sure that no one except casual gamers are interested in their system any more, and almost none of those people are going to be willing to spend a large chunk of money on something that...what? Is finally capable of hi-def graphics, just like the PS3 and 360 have been for years now?

I imagine they've got some enormous sums of capital built up from sales of the Wii, which will carry them for quite some time. But yeah, their future ain't looking too bright in my opinion.

You know what? I honestly don't care either way.

Remember when the Gamecube didn't sell well so it resulted in Nintendo dying out? I don't.

To me, the Wii U looks like a gigantic disaster just waiting to happen. I can see no purpose whatsoever for a second screen on the controller, but it will drive the cost up substantially. And Nintendo has made absolutely sure that no one except casual gamers are interested in their system any more,

Jackc8

I'm a Nintendo fan boy and I can agree thus far. But I'll end up with it anyway.

I find it amazing how a single kink in Nintendo's armor and the doom-and-gloom starts.Zeviander

Their quality would probably go down alot.

turtlethetaffer

Mario, Metroid and Zelda on the 360 and PS3?

The massive 3DS price cut two months after release revealed something about Nintendo: their magic wand is running low on power. Nintendo thought the system would sell itself, even without an impressive lineup of launch titles, but the market proved them horribly wrong: by now gamers want more than just another expensive gimmick: casual gamers are still happy with standard DS and core gamers want core titles... the games! The result? A large number of 3DS units remained unsold on the store shelves, which in turn led to software houses smelling failure and threatening to drop support for the system, forcing Nintendo to adopt drastic measures to save their day.

This happened before when Sega's hardware division went six feet under after the cold reception the Dreamcast got (again, due to lack of third party support). What happened to Sega, did it just die? No: they are now making quality software for other systems, like the Wii, DS, PS3, PSP and XBOX 360 (well, mostly quality software).

Now, I'm not saying Nintendo is in the same situation, but think about it: the value of Nintendo's shares has plummeted and shareholders are furious for their massive losses (Hiroshi yamauchi alone lost $300 million in one day!) should the Wii U receive the same cold treatment on the market as the 3DS it would most likely mean the end of Nintendo's hardware division like what happened with Sega.

Would this be the end of Nintendo? No! Like Sega they would still go on making quality games on other systems. The difference for us? None, except hardcore gamers would have to buy one less system and we'd be able to play Mario, Zelda, Metroid, Kirby and Donkey Kong on the same system as Halo, Gears of War, Uncharted, God of War and Killzone.

I'm not wishing disaster over Nintendo and I'm sure they'll stand back up after this 3DS mishap, but even if the worst should happen it wouldn't be all bad, all considered.

Your opinion on this?

Black_Knight_00

overreacting TC is overracting.blaqphantom

I agree with this. Nintendo's in a slump after reporting profits again and again...so all of a sudden they're about to go the way of Sega? One loss isn't going to put them into panic mode. Maybe if they have repeated losses, sure, but we're not there yet.

If Nintendo fails even harder, i'd sell my customized souped-up 3DS for a new PS-Vita.

It would be bad. People would lose their jobs, major changes could happen to Nintendo's key franchises; changes that could destory the franchise, there will be a major quality drop in their games (Im specifically talking about games that they make, not the games that they simply publish), and apple would take their place. I DO NOT want that.

Personally, Im going to be one of those people that believes Nintendo has just hit a bump in the road and nothing major such as dropping out of the console race will happen any time soon.

A kink? This is a huge gash in the armor. If the 3DS is proportionally more successful than the DS, why did Nintendo wake up screaming about it?Black_Knight_00